Control device for radio receivers and the like



Feb. 18, 1941. L, woQDs 2,232,582

CONTROL DEVICE FOR RADIO RECEIVERS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 13, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7? L. J. WOODS Feb. 18, 1941.

CONTROL DEVICE FOR RADIO RECEIVERS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 13, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Iva/W 1- Patented Feb. 18, 1941 PATENT OFFICE CONTROL DEVICE FOR RADIO RECEIVERS AND THE LIKE Leslie J. Woods, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Philco Radio and Television Corporation, Philadelphia,

ration of Delaware Pa., a. corpo- Application December 13, 1937, Serial No. 179,602

Claims.

This invention relates to control devices by means of which selective control of an apparatus may be exercised, and the invention is more particularly directed to selective tuning control de- 5 vices for radio receivers or the like.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel selective control device which is simple in construction and easy to operate, and which embodies novel means for indicating clearly the operative condition of any one of a plurality of selectable elements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel push-button control device which embodies novelly-arranged indicating screens for indicating the operative condition of any one of a plurality of push-button elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel tuning control device for a radio receiver or the like, which device embodies a plurality of switches and a plurality of push-button elements for controlling the switches, and wherein each push-button element has associated with it novel means for indicating its operative condition.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the device; 30 Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the device;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary face view of the control panel of the device.

: Referring to the several views of the drawings, there is shown a horizontal supporting panel I and a vertical front panel 2 constituting the control panel of the device. The panel 2 has an elongated transverse opening 3 over which there is disposed at the front of the panel a translucent member 4 which may be formed of glass or other suitable material. An opaque plate 5 is secured to panel 2 adjacent the translucent member 4 and is provided with a plurality of window openings 6 as shown in Fig. 5. Since the device is adapted particularly for use as a tuning control device for a radio receiver, the translucent member 4 has station identification indicia or call letters at each of the window openings as shown 50 clearly in Fig. 5. It will be understood, therefore,

that each of the windows which are thus provided corresponds to a particular radio broadcasting station.

The panel 2 carries at its rear side a pair of supporting blocks I which serve to support a transverse bar 8 in spaced relation with respect to the rear surface of panel 2. The bar 8 carries a pair of brackets 9 which, in turn, support a transverse bar [0. The parallel bars 9 and i0 serve as hearing members for slidable push-button elements II which correspond respectively to the windows 6. Each of the elements ll carries at its forward end a push-button l2 which extends slidably through an opening I3 in the window plate 5 just below one of the windows 5-. As shown in Fig. 5, there is thus provided a pushbutton below each of the windows 6 corresponding to the broadcasting station whose call letters are indicated on the particular window. By means of the apparatus described hereinafter, the pushbuttcn elements may be operated selectively to tune a radio receiver to any one of the several stations indicated on the control panel.

The supporting panel I also carries a supporting yoke I4 which serves to support lamp sockets IS. The lamp sockets may be attached to the yoke I 4 'by means of brackets I6 having spring clips ll. The yoke l4 may be employed as a current-conducting element for the lamps, in which case one of the lamp leads I8 may be attached to the yoke while the other lamp lead I9 is connected to branch conductors leading to the respective lamp sockets. The lamps 2| carried by the lamp sockets are arranged in cooperative relation with the upper part of the opening 3 in the front panel 2, so that light from the lamps is projected through the upper part of the opening 3 onto the windows 6 as shown by the broken line representation in Fig. 4. It will be noted that the upper part of the opening 3 is so arranged that the lamps may be positioned as illustrated in Fig. 4 and may project light downward at a substantial angle toward the windows. While two lamps are shown, any desired number may be employed.

In accordance with the invention, each of the push-button elements ll carries a screen 22 (see Fig. 4) in such manner that when a push-button element is in its forward inoperative position, its screen 22 is closely adjacent to the associated window and is positioned in the path of the light projected toward the window. In Fig. 4, two of the push-buttons are clearly visible, one being in inoperative position and the screen carried thereby being closely adjacent to the window 6, While the other push-button is in operative position and the screen carried thereby is disposed out of the light path. Each of the screens is of such character that it gives a clear indication of the operative or inoperative condition of the push-button with which it is associated. Preferably, each screen is formed of translucent colored material, such as Celluloid, so that it functions as a color screen. Normally, the color screens are disposed in the path of the light projected toward the windows and, therefore, the windows will appear colored. when one of the push-buttons is depressed so that its color screen is moved out of the path of light, the associated window will receive the light directly from the lamps and, therefore, that window will appear clear or white. Therefore, the particular push outton that is operative at any time is distinguishable at a glance by the contrast between the color of its window with the color of the other windows. While any desired color may be employed, it has been found that green gives a sharp contrast and is quite satisfactory. It will be understood, of course, that while the use of color screens is preferred to effect the contrast between the windows, the screens may be constructed in any desired manner to give a visible indication of an operative push-button. For example, each screen could have an opaque portion to effect the contrast, instead of employing color contrast. Thus, each screen might have an opaque central portion such as a star or other figure, to effect the contrast.

In the specific device illustrated, each of the push-button elements Ii has associated with it a front spring 23 and a rear spring H which serve to urge the push-button element forwardly to its inoperative position and normally maintain it in that position. If desired, however, only one spring need be employed. It will be seen that when one of the push-button elements is moved to operative position, the springs are compressed so that the operation of a push-button is against the resilient action of the springs. In order to maintain an operated push-button element in operative position against the action of the springs, there is provided a latching mechanism which will now be described.

Each of the elements II has a front recess or notch 25 and a rear recess or notch I. These recesses or notches cooperate with a latch bar II which is pivotally carried by the bracket 0. When all of the push-button elements are in inoperative position, the depending edge of the transverse latch bar seats in the notches 2. When one of the push-button elements is depressed, that is moved to operative position, the surface as of the elements acts as a cam to move the latch bar upward, and when the push-button element has been moved to operative position, the latch bar drops into the notch 2!, as shown in Fig. 4, thus holding the operated push-button element in its operative position against the action of the springs. Thus, each of the push-button elements acts as a sort of ratchet while the latch bar acts as a pawl. When another pushbutton element is pressed, its cam edge 2| releases the latch, thus permitting the previously depressed push-button element to return to its inoperative position. It will be seen. therefore, that only one of the push-button elements may be operative at any time.

The bar ill carries a pair of brackets 28 which, in turn, support a shelf I0 upon which there are mounted stationary contact elements I. There are two spaced contact elements for each of the push-button elements and, on each of the pushbutton elements, there is provided a spring contact finger 32 which is adapted to bridge the associated stationary contacts Ii when the pushbutton element is moved to operative position. Thus, there is provided at the rear end of each of the push-button elements a switch which is normally open but which is closed by the movement of the push-button element to operative position.

In the use of the device as a tuning control device for a radio receiver, the switches are electrically connected to the radio receiver so that each of them controls a different tuned circuit. each circuit being tuned to the frequency of one of the broadcasting stations indicated on the control panel. Thus, it will be seen that when one of the push-buttons is operated, the radio receiver is automatically tuned to the selected station and, at the same time, the device gives a clear indication of the station to which the receiver is tuned.

It will be obvious that the device is not limited in use to the tuning of a radio receiver but may be employed as a control device in any case where it is desired to control a plurality of switches or other elements. Obviously, the switches of the device illustrated could be employed to control a plurality of electrical circuits of a diiiferent character from those of a radio receiver. For example, the switches might be used to control different relay circuits which, in turn, might control diiferent electrical devices such as motors or other devices. Moreover, the switches may be opened or closed by the push-button elements. It will be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to the control of the tuning of a radio receiver, nor to the closing of the switches.

Although a specific preferred form of the device has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various changes and modifications may be made, particularly in the details of construction of the device, without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a control device, a plurality of selectable movable elements normally in non-actuated position, a plurality of translucent windows associated respectively with said elements, means common to said windows for projecting light from behind the windows through all of them simultaneously, and an indicator screen of distinctive light transmission characteristic from the translucent windows associated with each of said elements and movable thereby between a position adjacent the associated window and a position away from the window, whereby the illumination of a window associated with an actuated element is distinctly characterized in contrast to the illumination of the windows associated with non-actuated elements.

2. In a control device, a plurality of selectable movable elements, means for maintaining each element normally in non-actuated position, a plurality of translucent windows associated respectively with said elements, means common to said windows for projecting light from behind the windows through all of them simultaneously, and a color screen of a distinctive color from the translucent windows associated with each of said elements and movable thereby from a position adjacent the rear of the associated window to a position spaced from the window, whereby the illumination of a window associated with an actuated element is distinctly characterized in color contrast to the illumination of the windows associated with non-actuated elements.

3. In a control device, a control panel, a plurality of adiacently disposed control elements extending through said panel for manual actuation,

means for maintaining each element normally in non-actuated position, a plurality of translucent windows in said panel disposed respectively adJacent to said control elements, means common to said windows for projecting light from behind said panel through all of said windows simultaneously, and an indicator screen of distinctive light transmission characteristic from the translucent windows carried by each of said elements and movable thereby from a position adjacent the rear of the associated window to a position spaced from the window, whereby the illumination of a window associated with an actuated element is distinctly characterized in contrast to the illumination of the windows associated with non-actuated elements.

4. In a control device, a control panel, a plurality oi adiacently disposed control elements extending through said panel for manual actuation, means for maintaining each element normally in non-actuated position, a plurality of translucent windows in said panel disposed respectively adjacent to said control elements, identification means on each window, means common to said windows for projecting light from behind said panel through all of said windows simultaneously, and an indicator screen of distinctive light transmission characteristic from the translucent windows carried by each of said elements and movable thereby from a position adjacent the rear of the associated window to a position spaced from the window, whereby the illumination of a window associated with an actuated element is distinctly characterized in contrast to the illumination of the windows associated with non-actuated elements.

5. In a control device, a control panel, a plurality oi. adjacently disposed control elements extending through said panel for manual actuation, means for maintaining each element normally in non-actuated position, a plurality of translucent windows in said panel disposed rerespectively adjacent to said control elements, means common to said windows for projecting light from behind said panel through all of said windows simultaneously, an indicator screen of distinctive light transmission characteristic from the translucent windows carried by each of said elements and movable thereby from a position adiacent the rear of the associated window to a position spaced from. the window, whereby the illumination oi a window associated with an actuated element is distinctly characterized in contrast to the illumination of the windows associated with non-actuated elements, means for latching any one of said elements in its actuated position, and means on each of said elements for releasing said latching means to thereby release any previously actuated element.

LESLIE J. WOODS. 

